


Memories of Coming Home

by elegantlyelephantly (bigappleelephant)



Series: The Photo Albums [2]
Category: Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Holiday Memories, Memories, Neptune Memories, Nostalgia, Photographs, Veronica Mars Holiday Gift Exchange 2015, Veronica POV, photo album
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-12 15:35:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5671198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigappleelephant/pseuds/elegantlyelephantly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Veronica recalls the Christmas that brought her home to Neptune after 8 years gone. A photo album in hand in the house she shares with Logan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memories of Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Isazu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isazu/gifts).



> Written as part of starlightafterastorm's tumblr Veronica Mars Holiday Exchange 2015.

Veronica had come home after 8 years because Backup had passed away. Now she found herself a year and a half later sitting at the kitchen counter in the house she shared with Logan. Their puppy, Pony, lay at her feet and her hands held a photo album. The photo album was a chronicle of those first weeks she’d been back, before she’d swung back to New York to sever ties with her job, sublet her apartment and pack everything to ship back west. The first page held the most important parts of the story – a photograph of Backup’s memorial, an image of Mac, Wallace and her reunited for the first time in Neptune and a candid shot of her first encounter in as many years with Logan.

Backup’s memorial had been perfect and sweet. Keith had planned it. They had stood in the backyard, next to the doghouse Keith had claimed was Backup’s favorite. Keith had already had the dog buried, but the two of them stood over stone engraved plaque that perfectly embodied him. “Backup, Beloved Companion on the Couch and on Stakeouts.” It had been perfect, brought tears to Veronica’s eyes and given her closure. She’d missed out on so much during her 8 years away from Neptune, but it was clear that Backup and Keith had maintained their strong bond and her father had given the dog an ideal setting to live out his final days.

Then there was the photo with Wallace and Mac. Since she hadn't informed them of her arrival, they'd come over to spend the evening with Keith. She was very thankful when she's learned that her best friends had made it a habit to hang out with her father. Wallace had opened the door to the house with all the comfort she had then lacked. He’d yelled out to Keith figuring they’d all watch the game on TV, but as soon as he caught a glimpse of his best friend, his demeanor had completely changed. He reverted to a giddy version of himself that Veronica couldn't recall the last time she'd seen him like that. Mac stood by his side giggling and Veronica recognized it as a familiarity her two friends had acquired in her absence. Suddenly Wallace was rattling on about how they needed to catch up, it had been ages since they last had all been together, that they needed to do something tonight. Then Keith was pushing them all out the door. Repeating over and over that she was overdue for an evening out with her friends, no matter how much she's resisted. They'd ended up that night seated in a booth at Mama Leone’s gorging themselves on all their favorites. They’d caught up on everything that hadn’t been covered on the frequent phone calls and video chats. Somewhere amidst all the conversation, their food had come, been eaten and empty places taken away. Mac had proposed taking a group selfie. They needed to memorialize this evening, she’d said. Wallace had agreed stating that a record needed to be made of Veronica’s homecoming night out with her best friends. That very photo was what now sat inside her photo album. Then talk finally reached Mac’s relationship with Dick and Mac began excitedly detailing the final plans for her annual holiday party. Ever since moving in with Dick three years prior, she’d decided to throw a party that mixed their styles together perfectly. The beach house they shared proved to be the perfect location. Now Veronica found herself face-to-face with her friend as Mac worked to convince her to attend. Mac assured her that she wouldn’t have to dress up, that there would definitely be people she’d want to catch up with, and there was a guarantee of high-end alcohol. Eventually, Veronica had decided she had to say yes, if only for Mac’s sake. Wallace’s constant side-eye while she hesitated didn’t help either.

So that’s how the last photograph from the first page of the photo album materialized. Veronica had found herself standing next to the bar at Mac and Dick’s third annual holiday party. Drink in hand, she had scanned the room to see whom she knew. Over 8 years, it was evident that they had found new friends who were intermingled in with the old ones. She distracted herself from her intense desire to bolt from the party by striking up a conversation with Gia. She didn’t really know what to say, as the two of them hadn’t stayed in touch after Veronica’s departure. But Gia had been happy to rattle on about her boyfriend, her friends, her work and her apartment. Eventually, even Gia couldn’t keep babbling on and she had caught sight of Dick and decided he was more worthy of her presence. Veronica had opted to wander to towards to pool area to prop herself against the banister and watch the waves come in. As she made her way through the crowd and past the pool, Veronica had suddenly become aware that Logan Echolls was on a similar trajectory to her. She hadn’t spoken with Logan since she’d left so long ago but she knew of the changed man he had become. Now a reformed Navy man, she hadn’t been prepared for the potential of seeing him. But she should have been and it really shouldn’t have surprised her. Dick and Logan had been buddies back in the day and it made sense that they still were and he’d made the invite list for the party. Veronica had sidled up next to him giving a cheerful greeting. He’d been shocked to hear her voice, let alone see her. He’d asked her why she was there, when she’d come home. She’d told him she was home at least for the holidays, that Backup had passed away and she’d wanted to spend some time with her father. She’d asked about being in the Navy. He’d detailed all about being a fighter pilot and how much he loved the sensation of flying. Somehow, the two of them had seamlessly found themselves talking. And when Veronica thought about it, it made perfect sense that the odd couple, Dick and Mac, had been the ones to reconnect Neptune’s most tumultuous couple. Dick had hired a photographer to document the evening. The photographer’s capture of Logan and Veronica animatedly talking as they leaned on the railing overlooking the beach with the sounds of waves crashing in the background. Veronica had loved the shot so much she’d asked Mac to print a copy. They looked so at ease together and she hadn’t really been prepared for them to reconnect so easily and so quickly, but it had all just felt so right.

Now, a year and a half later Veronica and Logan had been through their fair share of new challenges, but they’d rekindled their romance. Even though Logan had to leave for a 180-day active duty tour early in the New Year, coming home to Neptune had flipped a switch for Veronica. That was when she had decided she was moving back for good, she was going to give Logan a chance and her life was meant to be in Neptune. She’d made the photo album the day he’d left for duty. It had pained her so much to say good-bye from the little apartment he kept so he wouldn’t crash with Mac and Dick when he was lucky to be home for extended periods. But the photo album had been her savior with a sweet record of the two weeks she’d been able to spend with him and everything else that had brought her back and kept her in Neptune. While he’d been away, she’d gone out looking for a little house on the beach for them to share. That’s where she sat now, in the kitchen with windows looking out towards the beach. He’d given her their puppy for their first official Christmas together. She’d named him Pony so she could finally declare that someone had given her a pony. Veronica was happy and so grateful for those two weeks a year and a half ago. Even in the sadness that comes with the thought of Backup no longer being a part of their family, she valued the awakening his passing had brought to her life.


End file.
